Method for format adaptation of carriages on a linear motor system, and linear motor system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11708226-B2
Application number	US-201917415686-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 12, 2019
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	Jul 25, 2023
Grant date	Jul 25, 2023

Abstract

A method for format adaptation of carriages for the transportation of bottles on a linear motor system and a corresponding linear motor system are described. According thereto, container guides provided on the carriages are adapted to the body cross-section of the bottles by adjusting a guide width in an automated manner between guide jaws of the container guides which in relation to the direction of travel are the leading and trailing ones. There is then no need to replace component parts at the container guides, and the production in filling systems is optimised in terms of staff requirements, resultant production stoppages, and error sources.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for format adaptation of carriages for a transportation of containers, on a linear motor system, where container guides present on said carriages are adapted to a cross-section of a neck, shoulder and/or body of said containers by adjusting a guide width of said container guides in an automated manner between guide jaws which in relation to a direction of travel are leading and trailing guide jaws and/or by adjusting a vertical distance between guide jaws arranged one above the other, wherein an operating element is approached in an automated manner by way of at least one electronically, pneumatically and/or hydraulically controlled drive toward said respective carriage and thereby brought into operative connection with an actuating mechanism coupled to said guide jaws to enable the format adaptation, and wherein actively driven components of the at least one drive are arranged outside the carriages at at least one of an adjustment station arranged in a region of the linear motor system and in stators of the linear motor system.

2. The method according to claim 1 , where said carriages are driven into a region of said adjustment station, and said adjustment station performs an adjustment motion with said operating element for adjusting said guide jaws.

3. The method according to claim 1 , where said guide width is adjusted by changing a horizontal angle of attack between said guide jaws and/or by displacing said guide jaws in/opposite to said direction of travel of said carriage.

4. The method according to claim 1 , where said carriages are temporarily diverted to a shunting section of said linear motor system for format adaptation.

5. A method for format adaptation of carriages for a transportation of containers, on a linear motor system, where container guides present on said carriages are adapted to a cross-section of a neck, shoulder and/or body of said containers by adjusting a guide width of said container guides in an automated manner between guide jaws which in relation to a direction of travel are leading and trailing guide jaws and/or by adjusting a vertical distance between guide jaws arranged one above the other, where an operating element is approached in an automated manner toward said respective carriage and thereby brought into operative connection with an actuating mechanism coupled to said guide jaws, and where said operating elements are arranged on said carriages, and two carriages move onto one another in such a way that said actuating mechanism and therefore said guide jaws of one carriage are adjusted by said operating element of said other carriage.

6. A method for format adaptation of carriages for a transportation of containers, on a linear motor system, where container guides present on said carriages are adapted to a cross-section of a neck, shoulder and/or body of said containers by adjusting a guide width of said container guides in an automated manner between guide jaws which in relation to a direction of travel are leading and trailing guide jaws and/or by adjusting a vertical distance between guide jaws arranged one above the other, where an operating element is approached in an automated manner toward said respective carriage and thereby brought into operative connection with an actuating mechanism coupled to said guide jaws, and where said carriages are driven into a region of an adjustment station, said adjustment station brings said operating element to a position for stationary anchoring of a coupling element that is drive-coupled to said actuating mechanism, and said carriage conducts an adjustment run in this regard which is transmitted by said actuating mechanism to said guide jaws.

7. A linear motor system for the transportation of containers, comprising:
individually driven carriages with container guides, each comprising: guide jaws that are leading and trailing with respect to said direction of travel and an actuating mechanism for adjusting a guide width for said containers between said guide jaws, and/or guides jaws arranged one above the other, and an actuating mechanism for adjusting a vertical distance between said guide jaws; and
at least one operating element controlled in an automated manner for actuating said actuating mechanism,
where the at least one operating element is approached in an automated manner by way of at least one electronically, pneumatically and/or hydraulically controlled drive toward said respective carriage and thereby brought into operative connection with an actuating mechanism coupled to said guide jaws to enable format adaptation of said guide jaws to different container formats, and where actively driven components of the at least one drive are arranged outside the carriages at at least one of: an adjustment station arranged in a region of the linear motor system;

and in stators of the linear motor system.

8. The linear motor system according to claim 7 , where said guide jaws are mounted individually to be pivotable about vertical axes and/or are mounted displaceable against each other parallel to said direction of travel of said carriages.

9. The linear motor system according to claim 7 , where said guide jaws comprise vertically aligned guide surfaces for said body cross-sections of said containers as well as clamping elements.

10. The linear motor system according to claim 7 , where said actuating mechanism comprises at least one ratchet mechanism.

11. The linear motor system according to claim 7 , where said carriages comprise coupling elements, which are to be actuated from below or in/opposite to said direction of travel and which are drive-coupled to said actuating mechanism.

12. The linear motor system according to claim 7 , where said carriages comprise rotatable coupling elements, which are accessible transverse to said direction of travel and drive-coupled to said actuating mechanism.

13. The linear motor system according to claim 7 , where said adjustment station is arranged in a region of a track for said carriages for motorized actuation or anchoring of a coupling element which is drive-mounted on said carriage and coupled to said actuating mechanism.

14. The linear motor system according to claim 7 , where said operating element and said coupling element are configured for a magnetic force-fit for unlocking said actuating mechanism by approaching said operating element and for driving said actuating mechanism by a stroke and/or a rotation of said operating element.

15. The linear motor system according to claim 7 , wherein the containers are bottles.

16. The linear motor system according to claim 9 , wherein the clamping elements press said containers against said guide surfaces in a resilient manner.

17. The linear motor system according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one ratchet mechanism incrementally increases and reduces said guide width and/or said vertical distance.

18. The linear motor system according to claim 11 , wherein the coupling elements are in the form of displaceable bolts.

19. The linear motor system according to claim 12 , wherein the rotatable coupling elements are in the form of gears.

Assignees

• Krones Ag

Inventors

• Neubauer Michael
• Poeschl Stefan
• Landler Bruno
• Roidl Wolfgang

Classifications

• B65G54/02 Primary

  electrostatic, electric, or magnetic · CPC title

• B65G47/842

  the article-engaging elements being grippers · CPC title

• B65G47/847

  the article-engaging elements being grippers · CPC title

• B67C3/24

  Devices for supporting or handling bottles (transport or storing devices in general B65G) · CPC title

• B65G2207/08

  Adjustable and/or adaptable to the article size · CPC title